1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of control systems for accessories used with small animals and pets, and more specifically to that of a control system for a pet flush toilet.
2. Background
Pets indoors and small animals in research laboratories, clinics, catteries, or similar facilities, have always needed facilities to service their needs. For instance, toilets to contain their excretions in order to insure a reasonable sanitary situation for the health of not only surrounding persons but the pet itself. Another aspect is special feeders and training modules so that such animals can receive their necessary food, medicine or other needed materials.
Depending upon the size and type of animal, such as cats, dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, or household pets, pet toilets varied from primitive methods of catching and removing droppings from the bottoms of cages to litter boxes that are emptied and cleaned when demand dictates. For instance, on the average several hundred pounds of litter are used per year for a household pet, and this represents an ecological impact on our society's resources. In more modern times pet toilets have evolved that utilize control systems for automatic, or at least semi-automatic, disposal of such excretions. Many utilize some flushing mechanism and have been developed to provide better health and sanitation by reducing odors and not requiring manual handling of the excretion-collecting filler or container. Some utilize purely mechanical means of flushing while others involve controls requiring an electrical power source.
An overall view shows that a system designed to operate successfully an automatically flushing pet toilet is essentially the same as one needed to selectively dispense needed food, medicine and other materials to small animals, including pets, since the key control component represents the sensing of the animals presence. Thus, prior art U.S. patents covering the above mentioned concepts are concentrated in the pet toilet field and include:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Inventor Year ______________________________________ 2,204,416 Kramer 1940 3,132,350 Carlson 1964 3,227,138 Campbell 1966 3,318,285 Betham 1967 3,734,057 Lee et al. 1973 3,747,563 Brockhouse 1973 3,811,410 Roberts 1974 3,835,812 Edwards 1974 3,842,803 Temel 1974 4,050,414 Knochel et al. 1977 4,117,555 Dennis 1978 4,181,096 Grubman 1980 4,196,693 Unversaw 1980 4,228,554 Tumminaro 1980 4,23l,321 Cohen 1980 4,660,506 Nalven 1987 4,729,342 Loctin 1988 4,748,700 Wooten 1988 ______________________________________
The background art germane relates to controls for automatic flushing systems. However, substantially mechanical or hydraulic systems give only interesting background information, but do not include the total needed flexibility of the current invention. Such background includes, from the above list, Kramer, Carlson, Betham, Brockhouse, Edwards, Temel, Knochel et al., Dennis, Grubman, Tumminaro, and Nalven.
The other listed inventions potentially represent germane prior art. Campbell discloses a movable floor switch triggered by the animal's weight that directly controls a valve for a timed-release of pressurized floor-level flush. Lee et al discloses a controlled timed flush by using a photocell trigger with potential delay to determine when the pet enters and leave the chamber. Roberts also uses a photocell detector, with potential delay, directed over the toilet so that beam interruption and then re-detection means that the pet has come and gone from said toilet and the flushing cycle can commence. Unversaw discloses an activated floor switch flush that cleans a motor-driven belt conveyor used for transporting the excreted animal material; further a timed delay is built-in before flush as well as a reset initiated if the floor switch is closed during the delay timing. Cohen discloses a photocell device to ascertain whether a pet is present on a commode accessory before a motor-operated flush occurs. Loctin discloses a high walled chamber pet toilet with an active infrared photocell across it that controls said chamber door that when closed after the pet leaves delays a flush cycle; further, different timed periods of beam interruption are used to determine when said toilet has been actually used. Wooten discloses a portable commode accessory chamber using a floor switch and preselected timing of sanitary rinse and commode flush.
In contrast to the above, the subject invention concentrates on animal comfort or training by employing special control features that complement the pet'normal activities and do not restrict its movement. That is, in no way is the pet disturbed by the control system.